Papers pay tribute to Cutty Sark

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All papers cover the fire aboard the Cutty Sark, and pay tribute to the ship's 138-year heritage.

"The Blackened Pearl" is how the Sun describes the famous clipper, printing an aerial shot of its charred remains.

The Independent chooses a painting of the vessel - from a time, it says, when Britain was building "the most elegant cargo ships in history".

"Police suspect arsonist destroyed Cutty Sark", says the Times underneath a photo of the blaze's aftermath.

Secret talks

The Financial Times says secret talks have taken place between Zimbabwe's government and the opposition Movement for Democratic Change.

After a rocky start, says the paper, the two groups have arranged to meet again in June in South Africa.

The FT says that the talks are the first clear sign of the urgency felt in Pretoria over the crisis felt across its northern border.

The aim, apparently, is a deal on conditions for elections next year.

'Proxy war'

Both the Guardian and the Daily Telegraph lead on Iran's alleged influence in two other countries: Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tehran is changing tack and setting up relationships with al-Qaeda and Sunni insurgents in Iraq, says the Guardian.

The paper quotes US officials who say Iran is fighting a "proxy war".

Meanwhile, the Telegraph reports that in Afghanistan the Taliban has been using Iranian missiles to target British troops.

Some digging

The long-dead Australian outlaw, Ned Kelly, is causing trouble again.

His bones are not where they ought to be in a Melbourne prison grave, report both the Independent and the Guardian.

But after some digging, Heritage Victoria now believes the bones were moved about 50 years ago and possibly thrown into a quarry.

The news has caused merriment in Australia, says the Guardian, and the Independent says that for Kelly, it is the final indignity.